The Tribes of Galway were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political commercial and social life in the town of Galway between the 13th and 16th centuries. They were the families of Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Deane, Ffont, Ffrench, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martyn, Morris and Skerrett. They were of Welsh (Blake, Joyce), French (Athy, D'Arcy, Ffont, Ffrench), Norman (Lynch, Morris, Browne) Norman-Welsh (Bodkin, Martyn), Anglo-Saxon (Deane, Skerrett) and Irish ( Kirwan) origins. Galway (official Irish name: Gaillimh) is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland and capital of County Galway. ... Athy (Irish: Baile Átha Í) is in County Kildare, Ireland. ... The name Blake is used to refer to: Among the most extensive landowners in Connacht from the 16th to the 19th century. ... Bodkin point arrows were invented in the Middle Ages, as an improvement of the earlier broadhead arrow. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... There several famous individuals with the name Joyce: Joyce (singer), Brazilian Singer/Songwriter James Joyce, Irish novelist William Joyce, British Nazi propagandist Joyce Kilmer, American poet Joyce Carol Oates, American novelist Trevor Joyce, Irish poet Joyce Maynard, American writer Joyce K. Reynolds, computer science professor Joyce Cavalcante, Brazilian Novelist This... Richard Kirwan (1733 - June 1812) was an Irish scientist. ... To lynch someone is a form of extra-judicial killing - see lynching Lynch is also a common surname: John Lynch, Governor of New Hampshire (2005-) David Lynch, film director Jessica Lynch, a rescued prisoner of war in the 2003 invasion of Iraq This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... Martyn, or Martin, surname of one of The Tribes of Galway, Ireland. ... Morris is the name of some places in the United States of America: Morris, Alabama Morris, Connecticut Morris, Illinois Morris, Minnesota Morris County, New Jersey Morris (town), New York Morris (village), New York Morris Township, Pennsylvania There are also a number of places named Morrisville and Morristown, as well as... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English, Welsh Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff First Minister Rhodri Morgan Area  - Total Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² Ethnicity: 97. ... The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous Gauls of France and the Viking invaders under the leadership of Rollo (Gange Rolf). ... The Anglo-Saxons refers collectively to the groups of Germanic tribes who achieved dominance in southern Britain from the mid-5th century, forming the basis for the modern English nation. ...

The Lynch family were the first known to have settled in the town in the 1270's, and remained the premier Tribal family till well into the 19th centuary. The family has dominated the mayor's office from 1485 to 1654, Peirce Lynch being first Mayor of Galway. The Mayor of Galway have existed, with a break of ninety-seven years, since the office was inaugurated in December 1485 as the result of a patent solicited by merchants of Galway from King Richard III in London. ... Peirce Lynch was the first Mayor of Galway. ...

Lord Killanin (1915-99), sixth president of the International Olympic Committee 1972-80, was a descedant of the Morris tribe. The Right Honourable Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, MBE (30 July 1914–25 April 1999) was an Irish journalist and sports official, the sixth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). ... The International Olympic Committee is an organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 to reinstate the Ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, and organise this sports event every four years. ...

Captain James "Spanish" Blake (fl.1588-1635) was an agent for the English secret service in during the Nine Years War (Ireland) (1594-1603) and was responsible for the assassination of Red Hugh O'Donnell in Spain in 1602. The Nine Years War in Ireland took place from 1594 to 1603 and is also known as Tyrones Rebellion. ... Red Hugh Roe ODonnell (1571-1603) was an Irish Chieftain who led ODonnells Rebellion from 1593-1596 and later helped lead the Nine Years War, a revolt against English occupation, from 1593-1603. ...

Richard Martin (1754-1834) was a long-time advocate of Catholic Emancipation and a founder of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Colonel Richard Humanity Dick Martin, M.P., of Ballinahinch, Co. ... Catholic Emancipation was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity and the Test Acts. ... The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. ...

During the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653), Galway took the side of the Confederate Catholics of Ireland, and as a result the Tribes were punished following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. The town was besieged and after the surrender of Galway in April 1652, the Tribes of the city had to face the confiscation of their property by the New Model Army. The Galway Corporation was taken over in October 1654 by English Parlimentarians and, despite a measure of power during the reign of King Charles II (1660-1685) and the War of the Two Kings (1689-91), the Tribes had lost their power within the city. The Irish Confederate Wars were fought in Ireland between 1641 and 1653. ... Kilkenny Castle, where the Confederate General Assembly met. ... Oliver Cromwell landed in Ireland with his New Model Army on behalf of the English Parliament in 1649. ... The New Model Army became the best known of the various Parliamentarian armies in the English Civil War. ... Galway Corporation, founded in 1485 by The Tribes of Galway via a Charter of Mayorality granted to the town in December 1484 by King Richard III. First Mayor was Peirce Lynch. ... Charles II (29 May 1630–6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 30 January 1649 (retrospectively de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... For the context of this war see Jacobitism and Glorious Revolution. ...

Almost all of the Tribes are still to be found in Galway City and County. However, no Athys or Fonts are left, and others such as Deane and Skerret are rare.

In 2000, Angela Lynch became the 84th Lynch to serve as Mayor of Galway since 1485. Angela Lynch, Mayor of Galway 1989 and 1998. ...

See also

• Sieges of Galway

The city of Galway - built as a naval base and military fort by Tairrdelbach mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair in 1124, refounded as a town by Richard Mor de Burgh in 1230 - has been subjected to a number of battles, sacks and sieges. ...

Sources

• "History of Galway", James Hardiman, 1820.
• "Old Galway", M.D. O'Sullivan, 1942.
• "Na Tuatha Gallimhe/The Tribes of Galway", Adrian J. Martyn, 2001.
• "Role of Honour: The Mayors of Galway 1485-2001", William Henry, 2002.